I will be making molded truffles for a wedding. I planned on using a truffle mold and paint the bottom of the mold and sides with melted milk chocolate, fill with creamy chocolate center then finish by sealing with the melted milk chocolate. I'm not sure if I should simply just not cool the ganache. Will this work? Also how long ahead of time can I do this? I will be preparing 200 solid chocolate flavored candies and 200 of the truffles.

For those who wish to avoid the dairy in the heavy cream, coconut cream works very well. Get a can of coconut milk (avoid coconut milk with water as an ingredient!), chill it in the fridge to make the cream rise to the top and harden somewhat, then use it exactly as dairy cream. Don't use the clear milk at the bottom; you just want the fatty coconut cream on top. Makes great truffles, and doesn't taste like coconut at all.

I've tried this recipe and found it easy. I coated the ganache with two different toppings: chopped almonds and honey flavoured cornflakes. Both are great.

I also tried to dip the ganache into melted semi-sweet baking chocolate chips to make a hard shell, but it was difficult. I found the melted chocolate very viscous, so it was hard to make a nice thin coating. If I warm the chocolate coating a bit, it becomes too warm and tends to melt the ganache... I ended up making big truffles with thick hard shell in strange shapes. I'm not sure if it'd be better if I work with my palms...but it looked too sticky to work easily.

I also tried to dip the ganache into melted semi-sweet baking chocolate chips to make a hard shell, but it was difficult. I found the melted chocolate very viscous, so it was hard to make a nice thin coating. If I warm the chocolate coating a bit, it becomes too warm and tends to melt the ganache... I ended up making big truffles with thick hard shell in strange shapes. I'm not sure if it'd be better if I work with my palms...but it looked too sticky to work easily.

It's easiest to spread the melted chocolate onto your palm and quickly roll the ganache ball through it instead of dipping.

I've tried this recipe a few times, and it has always come out quite well. However, each time, as I mix everything together after letting the cream and chocolate sit for five minutes and then putting it in the fridge for an hour or so, I wind up with hard chunks amongst the smoother ganache. I don't know why this is happening, or how to prevent it. Do I need more cream? Less cooling time? Do I need to make a double boiler and heat up the mixture more before I let it cool? (It seems very smooth when it goes in to cool.)

I've tried this recipe a few times, and it has always come out quite well. However, each time, as I mix everything together after letting the cream and chocolate sit for five minutes and then putting it in the fridge for an hour or so, I wind up with hard chunks amongst the smoother ganache.

Waht type of chocolate are you using? Bar chocolate for baking or chocolate chips or candy bar chocolate?

I have been using a one pound dark chocolate candy bar from my local grocery store. (It's the Pound Plus bar from Trader Joes if you happen to know that brand/store) Should I instead be looking specifically for baking chocolate?

Michael Chu wrote:

Eulogy wrote:

I've tried this recipe a few times, and it has always come out quite well. However, each time, as I mix everything together after letting the cream and chocolate sit for five minutes and then putting it in the fridge for an hour or so, I wind up with hard chunks amongst the smoother ganache.

Waht type of chocolate are you using? Bar chocolate for baking or chocolate chips or candy bar chocolate?

I have been using a one pound dark chocolate candy bar from my local grocery store. (It's the Pound Plus bar from Trader Joes if you happen to know that brand/store) Should I instead be looking specifically for baking chocolate?

Yes, I've used the PoundPlus brand from Trader Joe's for this recipe before without a problem. I know you said the chocolate/cream mixture seemed smooth before you put it in the fridge, but it might help to keep it warm on a double boiler (just boil the water, then turn off the heat entirely. The residual heat will be enough to keep melting the chocolate) and stir until you're entirely sure it's smooth. Then let it cool at room temperature until they are room temperature - takes about an hour. That might help...

I made the Ganache and let it cool at room temp over night and then covered them with tempered chocolate. The kicker is I then covered them with powder. I used Coco, Mocha, Chai Tea (highly recommended) and Coco with a little bit of Chili powder (My absolute favorite). They turned out perfect except I would buy a melon baller next time because using two spoons worked but wasn't very consistent. The idea of using gloves is genius though!

I've just made some of your truffles exactly as-is and they have come out really well. I was a bit concerned that they'd be slightly powdery after being rolled in cocoa powder but they weren't in the slightest.

For my next batch i'm going to try some different coatings (my skills aren't up to tempered chocolate!), maybe mixing in some fine sugar with the cocoa, or cinnamon, or chilli as suggested above.

I have made a slight variation of these truffles a few times (including butter with the cream) and they are generally delicious. The one thing is the outside of them is not very hard (room temp is 75 and they start to melt in your hand). Any ways of making it harder? I am using Ghardelli dark chocolate.

I have made a slight variation of these truffles a few times (including butter with the cream) and they are generally delicious. The one thing is the outside of them is not very hard (room temp is 75 and they start to melt in your hand). Any ways of making it harder? I am using Ghardelli dark chocolate.

If you are properly tempering your chocolate, then I would probably recommend trying coating chocolate (sometimes called compound chocolate) which has a higher melting point (because of it's use of vegetable oils instead of cocoa butter). It also doesn't require tempering for that same reason.